6. Cities as creators of citizen well-being

In the 21^st century, there is a growing emphasis on urban environments that foster livability, competitiveness and sustainability for residents. The narrative behind cities as creators of this residential well-being is still under debate. It is unclear, whether the well-being rises from cities itself or is an outcome of multiple actors that just happen to meet in the urban settings. The well-being leans on the residents itself, their choices and attitudes, but then again it is also dependent on the economic and social prosperity generated by capital investments and governmental decision.

Today, as urban areas expand both physically and functionally, cities and their residents experience a continuous transformation. At its worst, urban growth can lead to densely packed or widely spread spaces where citizens’ access to essential services, such as amenities, jobs and recreational spaces is limited, complex or unequal. This raises critical questions about how urban equity, prosperity and overall quality of life is preserved in changing cityscape, as well as the narratives shaping this development. In this context prosperity in cities also expands beyond economic wealth; it is also shaped by factors such as accessibility, social integration and environmental sustainability. Understanding and studying these dynamics provides valuable insight into how cities evolve and how they are developed to reach and enhance residential well-being. This session invites presentations exploring how the urban environment is connected to varied measures of livability and well-being around the city. Presentations can focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• The impact of mixed-use development on service networks and their utilization.
• How the location and design of services influence housing affordability and accessibility?
• Impact of employment clusters to experienced well-being.

We are eager to hear more about research, that deepens our understanding on above mentioned issues and widens the understanding on how the evolving urban environment and narratives behind this evolution alters the dynamics of well-being within cities.